Loser: Boston Red Sox
The Chaim Bloom era in Boston is officially a dumpster fire. The Red Sox were a last-place, below .500 team last season with Xander Bogaerts. Now, the four time All-Star and team captain is gone. This not only hurts the overall lineup and clubhouse, but also the chances of Rafael Devers resigning with Boston. Reports came out recently that the Red Sox are “galaxies apart” in negotiations, with Devers’ camp expecting him to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2023.
Meanwhile, the rotation remains a disaster. The Red Sox were in need of a front-line, number one starter coming into free agency. Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Rodon were on the market, but the Sox never made a strong push for any of these prized arms. It looks as if the team will settle for Nathan Eovaldi or Michael Wacha to be at the top of their rotation, both of whom are still unsigned. This is completely unacceptable for a team that plans on “contending.”
You’d think the disappointment would end there, but unfortunately there’s more. After just 39 MLB at-bats, the Red Sox designated for assignment former top prospect Jeter Downs, who was a centerpiece of the trade that sent star outfielder Mookie Betts to Los Angeles. In addition, the Red Sox also cut first baseman Eric Hosmer, who was thought to be a mentor for top first base prospect Triston Casas. With Downs being released, the white flag has finally been raised on the Mookie Betts trade. It’s now clear the Dodgers front office made an absolute mockery of Bloom in arguably the worst trade in Red Sox history.
The sole victory of this offseason is the signing of Justin Turner, a consistent veteran player who will bring some strong offensive production to this lineup. With Devers likely on the way out, and the Red Sox likely remaining at the bottom of the AL East, Red Sox fans should expect a brutal 2023 season ahead.